


Nightlight

by Bunney



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-24
Updated: 2012-08-24
Packaged: 2017-11-12 18:25:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/494283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bunney/pseuds/Bunney
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco puts childish things aside.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nightlight

Draco sleeps with a night light.

Oh, it’s not a night light like those that Muggle children have, cartoon characters plugged into wall sockets, but a single, slow-burning candle behind a glass chimney. It flickers and dances, casting shadows where shadows shouldn’t live and glowing yellow and orange and red, surrounding a center of clean, blue flame.

The house-elves, after turning back his silk, down-filled quilt and Egyptian cotton sheets, after laying out his pajamas and setting a glass of warm spiced milk on the bedside table, light a fresh candle and settle the globe over it, so that Draco’s room is never dark. At dawn, before he wakes, the candle is snuffed and disposed of and a new one fit into the holder.

Draco has never known true darkness. Not until he comes to Hogwarts.

Crabbe and Goyle dare not tease him about his fear of the dark; they need him and need to be there for him, but that does not stop Zabini or Nott. After a week of their mean-spirited torment, Draco puts the special candle and blown-glass lamp into the bottom of his trunk and lays in the absolute dark of the Slytherin dungeons, tears soaking through the plain white cotton pillowcase.

When Christmas comes that first year, Draco is thankful to be home. The familiarity of his father’s cigars and deep, soothing voice, the scent of his mother’s perfume and the warmth of her kisses, that is home for Draco and he tells the house-elves to light two candles that first night and every night thereafter.

When Narcissa asks him why he isn’t taking his candle back to school, he tells her that night lights are for babies.

But Draco never grows used to the darkness of Hogwarts and he cries himself to sleep every night. 

~fin~


End file.
